Our Mission

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a citizen organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. We are committed to building sound ecological relationships between people and the natural world that supports all life.

To achieve the aim of environmental preservation and improvement, we provide the community with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation.

We advocate policies which protect drinking water supplies and conserve land for open space and agriculture. We demonstrate waste reduction through recycling drives and reuse centers. We encourage natural resource protection through native landscaping and stream protection programs.

Following are a few of the educational and advocacy efforts carried out by the Defenders during the past few months.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who help make these efforts possible!

Held an Algonquin Talks Trash event for promoting small business recycling

Continued to facilitate monthly Green Drinks events

Screened the documentary “The Ethics of Fracking” at MCC

Continued to provide support for the Silver and Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition

Successfully advocated for the creation of a Water Resources Specialist Position in the McHenry County Planning Department

Continued collaboration with CMAP in the development of a watershed plan for Boone and Dutch Creeks

Provided educational information about the environment at Garden Fest, at the Earth Day Celebration, and at International Migratory Bird Day

Continued our participation with the McHenry County Solid Waste Task Force

Co-hosted the McHenry County Food Scrap Seminar for businesses in collaboration with the MCC Sustainability Center and others

Continued to facilitate the McHenry County Chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby

Activated our members to contact their legislators to support bills related to exotic weed control, clean jobs in energy creation in Illinois, and making composting easier in Illinois

Activated our members to contact their legislators to oppose including MCCD in a local government consolidation bill and to oppose bobcat hunting in the state

Continued to provide the Northwest Herald with an Environmental Tip for weekly publication

Helped with the Youth Groundwater Festival organized by the McHenry County Schools Environmental Education Program